BORDER WALL

Immigration
Written By Baily McDaniel

IS A BORDER WALL IMMORAL AS SOME POLITICIANS SUGGEST?

us customs immigration officer reviewing documents

Key Facts

  • About 1.1 million travelers are processed everyday by US Customs and Border Patrol. [1]

  • The U.S. Department of State estimated there were between 14,500 and 17,500 people that were trafficked into the United States in 2004. [2]

  • 50,000 unaccompanied minors were apprehended in 2018. [3]

  • 6,698 undocumented immigrants were convicted of one or more crimes in the US in 2018. [4]

Key Scriptures

  • 2 Chronicles 14:2-7 “Asa did good and right in the sight of the Lord his God… For he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.”

  • 1 Peter 2:13-14 “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.”

  • John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.”

  • Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”

  • James 1:27 “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

  • Acts 17:26 “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”

statue of liberty

Application

In 2017, Nancy Pelosi (a self-proclaimed Catholic) made the broad claim that the border wall is not only expensive and unwise, but also immoral (you can watch that video here). While it is easy to recognize that a wall in and of itself is neither moral nor immoral, one must address if Christians are loving foreigners well in requiring the use of ports of entry. The question of how to biblically respond to illegal immigration at the southern border is vast and far-reaching. There are many difficult questions surrounding the issue. Some of these include how to approach the concern of undocumented immigrants already in the States and what America should be doing in response to the horrible injustices many of these immigrants are fleeing from. This article will only seek to answer the question ‘is it morally acceptable to build a wall that provides a blockade for foreigner immigration?’

What Does the Bible Say?

Christians should have a dual intention as they respond to the border wall: the social and economic well-being of the United States, and respect for the civil and human rights of immigrants.  The church’s response to the crisis at the border should account for both of these as protection of one’s home nation and love for foreigners are both biblical doctrines (1 Tim. 5:8; Deut. 10:18).

In 2 Chronicles 14:2-7 it is recorded that Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord. Among other things, Asa built walls to protect Judah’s land. This shows that building a wall for a city or nation can be endorsed by God. The Book of Nehemiah also recounts the favorable story of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Biblically, a wall is just that---a wall. It is neither good nor evil in and of itself. The use of walls can be permissible and sometimes even endorsed by God to protect a people group.

As we apply these Scriptures to a modern context, it is important that we consider how to show love to people on both sides of the border.  It is incredibly important to consider the safety and well-being of our own families. 1 Timothy 5:8 emphasizes this stating, “Anyone who does  not provide for their relatives, and especially for

their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” This care and provision must be balanced with our love and concern for people of all groups, ethnicities, and backgrounds (Mark 12:31, Gal. 3:28). 

If a wall is to continue being built, the intention and outcome of the wall should reflect care for the well-being of immigrants as well. For example, if we have  no way of processing and recording immigrants, they may be used, abused, and intermingled with those who hope to enter the United States for negative purposes. Allowing this to occur does not fulfill the biblical mandate to care for the needy and welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:35). A wall could be one of many ways this could be accomplished.

Morality of the Wall

Many of the people hoping to enter the United States are in need of help and do not pose a threat to the United States or its citizens. Some studies suggest that the criminalization of undocumented immigration, whether perceived or actual, causes coyote (human smuggler) prices to raise. This could potentially bring more danger to immigrants and indebt them to the coyotes for a longer period of time. This rise in fares to bring people over the border is likely the result of claims that stricter enforcement of the border policies will take place in the years to come. Such claims give human smugglers more leverage to charge higher fares.

However, the morality of the wall is not affected by potential immoral reactions to its construction. As concerns arise in reaction to the wall, those must be addressed subsequently.  The enforcement of immigration laws should not be avoided because criminal coyotes could potentially take advantage of those who seek to cross the border at any cost. These human smugglers may use the laws for leverage; however, this result does not make these laws immoral. It makes the actions of the human smugglers immoral. 

In the Bible walls were constructed to protect a city or nation. The building of a wall is not immoral in and of itself. However, Christians should be conscientious of their heart when responding to these complex issues. A Christian’s love for those around them should be reflected in everything that they do. While the action of wall building is not immoral, it is important to examine motivations to ensure that our hearts are in the right place. As 1 Samuel 16:7 states, “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” We ought to ensure that the motivations of our heart do not reflect disdain or conceit. 

immigrants getting citizenship

Conclusion

Some people have perceived the wall to be immoral in some respects as it prevents the immediate entry into the country by those who desire to enter for legitimate reasons. However, the wall ideally would reflect Christian love through protection of those attempting to cross the border and enacting fair, safe processes for those seeking asylum. It is not immoral according to the Bible to enforce the law and require entry through legal ports to a country or privately owned piece of land (Rom. 13:1-4; Nehemiah 2:7-8). 

The claim that it is immoral to build a wall is problematic as it lacks support from the Scripture. However, Christians can disagree about whether a wall is the wisest choice in seeking to honor both the well-being of the citizens of the US and the immigrants. Regardless of the decision that Christians make, it is crucial to exemplify love in each of our discussions and debates. As John 13:35 says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This wall is an incomplete picture of biblical love at the border. As we seek to address the concerns at the border, it is important to recognize complexities and examine additional measures.

Baily McDaniel
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